Therapeutic padded cover for a chair

ABSTRACT

A therapeutic padded cover for a chair provides a seat cover and a back cover, which are easily secured with elastic bands to the seat and back of the chair, respectively. The cover is easily removed and folded for transport. Embroidered images and iron-on transfers are available for the larger, high visibility surfaces, and the user may also purchase and apply decals separately, as desired. The seat cover and back cover provide greater comfort and therapeutic effects for older users.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This Application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/048,216, filed Sep. 9, 2014, which is hereby incorporated by reference.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable

PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

Not Applicable

REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING COMPACT DISK APPENDIX

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates generally to furniture and accessories, and in particular to a therapeutic padded cover for a chair. In many situations away from home, from the college classroom to the stadium, a standard, mass produced chair or bleacher seat is often encountered. It conforms within a fairly narrow range of standard measurements and is very convenient and cost-effective for its owner, but is hard and uncomfortable for a person who actually has to sit on it, sometimes for several hours. In particular, middle-aged and elderly alumni visiting for a sports event, or a middle-aged student returning to school, may find these seats difficult to use. A therapeutic padded cover, which provides very comfortable padding for the seat and the back of the chair while remaining easily portable, would resolve this problem.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the invention is directed to a therapeutic padded cover for a chair. The cover provides a seat cover and a back cover, which are easily secured with elastic bands to the seat and back of the chair, respectively. The cover is easily removed and folded for transport. Embroidered images and iron-on transfers are available for the larger, high visibility surfaces, and the user may also purchase and apply decals separately, as desired. The seat cover and back cover provide greater comfort and therapeutic effects for older users.

Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated into and constitute a part of the specification. They illustrate two embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a rear view of the first exemplary embodiment in the folded position, displaying the seat cover 10, the straps 12, the handles 13, and an elastic band 14.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the first exemplary embodiment in the folded position, displaying the seat cover 10, the back cover 12, the straps 12, the handles 13, and the elastic bands 14.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the first exemplary embodiment in the unfolded position, displaying the seat cover 10, the back cover 12, the straps 12, the handles 13, and the elastic bands 14.

FIG. 4 is a bottom perspective view of the second exemplary embodiment in the unfolded position, displaying the seat cover 10, the back cover 12, the straps 12, the handles 13, the elastic bands 14, and the fastener strips 15.

FIG. 5 is a front perspective view of the second exemplary embodiment in the unfolded position, displaying the seat cover 10, the back cover 12, the straps 12, and the elastic bands 14.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to the invention in more detail, the invention is directed to a therapeutic padded cover for a chair.

The first exemplary embodiment is comprised of a cover for a chair, which provides a seat cover 10 and a back cover 11. The seat cover 10 and the back cover 11 are easily secured with elastic bands 14 to the seat and back of the chair, respectively. The cover is easily removed and folded for transport, such that the elastic bands 14 are on the outer surface of the folded bundle.

The seat cover 10 and the back cover 11 are joined together by two broad, flexible straps 12 which serve as hinges. The straps 12 are preferably four inches wide, and separated from each other by a gap of four inches. Within the gap, and affixed to the rear surface of the seat cover 10 and the bottom surface of the back cover 11, is a pair of flexible handles 13. Embroidered images and iron-on transfers are available for the larger, high visibility surfaces, and the user may also purchase and apply decals separately, as desired. The seat cover and back cover provide greater comfort and therapeutic effects for older users.

The second exemplary embodiment is essentially similar in structure and function to the first exemplary embodiment, with the following modifications. The second exemplary embodiment is intended to be folded in a reverse fashion, such that the elastic bands 14 are enclosed within the folded bundle. Two hook-and-loop fastener strips 15 are provided to secure the cover in the folded position. One of the fastener strips 15 is located on the bottom surface of the seat cover 10, near the front edge. The other fastener strip 15 is located on the rear surface of the back cover 11, near the upper edge.

To use the first or the second exemplary embodiment, the user may unfold the cover and slide the seat cover 10 over the lower portion of the chair, such that the elastic band 14 which is affixed to the seat cover 10 secures it in position. The user may then slide the back cover 11 over the back of the chair, such that the elastic band 14 which is affixed to the back cover 11 secures it in position.

The seat cover 10 and the back cover 11 are preferably manufactured from a flexible, durable material which is easily cleaned, such as cotton fabric, a cotton-polyester blend, or vinyl, containing padding which is preferably manufactured from a flexible, durable material such as foam rubber. The straps 12 and the handles 13 are preferably manufactured from flexible, durable materials, such as leather, nylon webbing, canvas, and plastic. The elastic bands 14 are preferably manufactured from a flexible, durable material with an elastic quality, such as elasticized cotton. The fastener strips are preferably manufactured from a semi-rigid, durable material, such as plastic or nylon.

Components, component sizes, and materials listed above are preferable, but artisans will recognize that alternate components and materials could be selected without altering the scope of the invention.

While the foregoing written description of the invention enables one of ordinary skill to make and use what is presently considered to be the best mode thereof, those of ordinary skill in the art will understand and appreciate the existence of variations, combinations, and equivalents of the specific embodiment, method, and examples herein. The invention should, therefore, not be limited by the above described embodiment, method, and examples, but by all embodiments and methods within the scope and spirit of the invention. 

I claim:
 1. A therapeutic padded cover for a chair, comprising: (a) a seat cover; (b) a back cover; (c) a plurality of elastic bands; (d) one of said plurality of elastic bands being permanently affixed to said seat cover and being configured to wrap around a bottom surface of said seat cover and secure said seat cover to a seat of a chair; (e) one of said plurality of elastic bands being permanently affixed to said back cover and being configured to wrap around a back surface of said back cover and secure said back cover to a back of a chair; (f) a plurality of flexible straps; (g) said plurality of flexible straps being affixed to said seat cover and said back cover and configured to act as hinges between said seat cover and said back cover; (h) a plurality of flexible handles;
 2. The therapeutic padded cover for a chair of claim 1, wherein said therapeutic padded cover for a chair is configured to fold inward such that a top surface of said seat cover and a front surface of said back cover are in contact when in a closed position.
 3. The therapeutic padded cover for a chair of claim 1, further comprising a hook and loop fastener; said hook and loop fastener being affixed to said bottom surface of said seat cover and said back surface of said back cover; said therapeutic padded cover for a chair being configured to fold outward such that said bottom surface of said seat cover and said back surface of said back cover are in contact when in a closed position and said hook and loop fastener secures said therapeutic padded cover for a chair in the closed position.
 4. The therapeutic padded cover for a chair of claim 2, wherein said plurality of flexible straps equals two in number.
 5. The therapeutic padded cover for a chair of claim 4, wherein said plurality of flexible handles equals two in number; said two flexible straps being separated by a space equal to the length of said plurality of flexible handles; a first flexible handle being attached to the same end of said seat cover as said two flexible straps in the space between said flexible straps; a second flexible handle being attached to the same end of said back cover as said two flexible straps in the space between said flexible straps.
 6. The therapeutic padded cover for a chair of claim 3, wherein said plurality of flexible straps equals two in number.
 7. The therapeutic padded cover for a chair of claim 6, wherein said plurality of flexible handles equals two in number; said two flexible straps being separated by a space equal to the length of said plurality of flexible handles; a first flexible handle being attached to the same end of said seat cover as said two flexible straps in the space between said flexible straps; a second flexible handle being attached to the same end of said back cover as said two flexible straps in the space between said flexible straps.
 8. The therapeutic padded cover for a chair of claim 1, wherein said plurality of flexible straps equals two in number.
 9. The therapeutic padded cover for a chair of claim 8, wherein said plurality of flexible handles equals two in number; said two flexible straps being separated by a space equal to the length of said plurality of flexible handles; a first flexible handle being attached to the same end of said seat cover as said two flexible straps in the space between said flexible straps; a second flexible handle being attached to the same end of said back cover as said two flexible straps in the space between said flexible straps. 